Vending-machine.



G. A. MELCHERT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1911.

Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IfI/l T/VESSES.-

C. A. MELCHERT.

VVVVV NG MACHINE.

PPPP IUATION FILED SEPT.15,1911. 4A,682 Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS 2.

G. A. MBLGHERT.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.15,1911. Lgggn Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'UNITED STATES PATENT. OEE-ICE.

CHARLES MELCHEBT, 0F KANSAS-CITY, MISS( llUItI,VA ASSIGNOR v'IO.AVJEOIHIAZLIIC. MACHINESALES COMPANY, OEl KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, .A CORPORATION OIF SOUTH DAKOTA.l

'V'ENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented NOV. 19, 1912.

To all whom 'it may concemf Be it known that I, CHARLES A. MELGHERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines; and l do declare the following to be .a full, clear, and exact description-of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention lrelates to coinv controlled vending machines, and has Jfor its object to provide a machine of that character, within which a plurality of vendible articles may be stored, and from which said articles may be singly and automatically delivered upon the insertion of a Suitable coin.

The present invention relates more' particularly to a machine for use in hotels or like places, where guests' or other persons may wish to purchase one or more of several different articles, such as toilet articles, and the machine herein shown and described is of a type which may be placed in the rooms .of a hotel so that a guest may supply himself lwith any therein.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:--Figure ly is a perspective view of a vending machine constructed according to my invention. Fig. Il is a vertical section of same. Fig. III is an enla'rged perspective view of a double horizontal tier of articles which may be carried in the machine, and the controlling mechanism therefor. Fig. IV is a Side view of a single controlling mechanism, the parts being shown in inoperative position in full lines and in initial operative position inl dotted lin-es. Fig. V isa view of the same parts after the delivery of a package and showing, in dotted lines, the positions of the Vparts when feeding a succeeding package to the rst stop.

Referring more in detail to the partez- 1 designates a case, having an open bottom, and preferably having a front 2, hinged at the base and provided with an. open arch 3, at the bottom. Y

Suspended from the base of the case is a;

of the articles contained downwardly toward the rear.

hammock or the like 4, into which a fragile article may be dropped without injury. The hammock is extended entirely beneath the base and inclined downwardly from toward the vfront so that an article delivered thereto from the rear of the machine will roll to the front of the machine, in order that it may be easily removed through the open space formed by the arch 3 and a horizontal arch 5 which forms a part of the hammock frame Located within the case are one or more platforms 6 which extend preferably from front to back of the case and are inclined There is one platform for each diii'erent article to be sold, and these may be arranged one above the other or in horizontal alinement, or both (as illustrated); when arranged horizontally a partition 7 being arranged to divide the platform and form separate bins for the different articles.

As each platform or bin has an individual operating mechanism, irrespective of the arrangement, but one of such mechanisms will be described in detail with the understanding that such description relates equally t0 all.

Mounted in the case 1 is a frame comprising side plates 8 and, when bins are arranged in horizontal alinement, the partition 7, having paired apertured lugs 9 at the upper portions thereof, there being a number of pairs of such lugs spaced throughout the length of the bin.

Revolubly mounted in the lower pair of lugs 9 is a shaft 10, having fingers 11 fixed thereto and depending into the bin. Also fixed to the shaft is an arm 12, having an adjustable weight 13 mounted thereon and adapted to tension the shaft so thatA it will hold the arms 11 toward. the upper end of the bin, the frame 8 being provided with an adjustable stop for limiting the downward movement of the weighted arm preferably comprising a flange 14' and yscrew 15. Also Xed on the shaft 10 is a cam disk 16, having a'shoulder 17, against which an arm 18 of a bell crank lever 19 abuts to hold the shaft against revolution.

Lever 19 is pivotally mounted in the frame 8 and has an arm 20 projected through a Slot 21 into an inclined coin chute 22, one end of which communicates vico Iis a tri parts in the first set, which are adapted for holding a package 28a in spaced relation from a package 28 that is held by the first set. I also prefer to provide a third stop set above the' second, of the same construction and arrangement.

The frame 8 is set in from the case at the rear to leave a space 29 through which the packages may pass to the hammock 4.

Presuming the parts to be assembled as described, a package 28 in the bin will bear against the fingers l1 and tension same rearwardly, the weight of the package lifting the weight 13 and holdingthe cam shoulder 17 against the arm 18 of' the bell crank lever. When a coin is placed in the chute it travels downwardly therethrough, engaging the depending arm of the bell crank so that the upperarm is rocked out of holding engagement with the cam 16. When the cam is relieved from the bell crank, the weight of the package rocks the arms 11 and shaft 10 to lift the weight 13 and lower the trip 25 (dotted lines Fig. IV), the rocking action being sufficient to allow the package to pass free of the stop,

mechanism and roll into the space 29 and be delivered to the hammock, from which it may be removed by the purchaser. When the package has rolled free of the stop fingers, the weight 13 will drop till it engages the stop- 14-15 (dotted lines Fig. V), carrying the shaft with it and thereby raising the trip 25 so that the latter lifts the lever 26 to free the disk 16il of the second stop mechanism. The second stop mechanism then acts in the same manner as vthe first, to release the package 28a and trip a succeeding stop mechanism. When the second package is released it rolls down the platform and engages the fingers l1, rocking the fingers and shaft until the shoulder of the cam 16 again engages the lbell crank and sets the machine for a s ucceeding operation.

It is apparent that with a plurality of stop mechanisms, as described, but one of the packages can be delivered at a time, and that the packages cannot crowd each other, as the second package is not released until the first has from its stop.

passed completely free.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. A fvending machine comprisin stop mechanisms arranged in train an each adapted for actuation by the weight of a package, means for holding the first of sad mechanisms against the tension of its package, and means for holding successive mechanisms against the tension of packages bearing thereagainst, and adapted for automatic and successive release following the delivery of the first package.

2. A vending machine comprising stop mechanisms arranged in train and adapted for retaining packages in spaced relation and each adapted for actuation by the weight of a package, means for holding the first of said mechanisms against the tension of its package, and means for holding suc-' cessive mechanisms against the tension of packages bearing thereagainst, and adapted for automatic and successive release following the delivery of the first package.

3. In a vending machine, a stop mechanism comprising a revoluble shaft having fingers fixed thereon, means on said sh aft for tensioning said fingers toward a holding position, and means for holding said shaft against movement in a direction opposite to that induced by said tensioning means.

4. In a vending machine, a stop mechanism comprising a revoluble shaft having fingers fixed thereto, means on said shaft for tensioning said fingers toward a holding position, and means for holding said shaft against movement in a direction opposite to that induced by said tensioning means, comprising a releasing lever.

5. In a vending machine, a stop mechanism comprising a shaft having stop members, means for tensioning said stop members toward a holding position, and means for holding said fingers against movement away from said holding position.

G. In a vending machine, a. stop mechanism comprising a revoluble shaft having stop fingers, a weight attached to theshaft and adapted for tensioning said fingers toward a holding position, a member on said shaft having a shoulder facing oppositely vto the line of force of said weight, and a latch for engaging said shoulder.

7. In a vending machine an inclined path, l,

adapted to be overcome by the Weight of the package and for returning sa1d stopping device toward set position after the delivery of a package, and a latch for holding' said, stopping device in set position.

9. In a vending machine, a chute, a shaft having a finger projected into said chute, a Weight arm on Said shaft for tensioning said finger toward a set position, a stop member on said shaft, and a lever adapted for engagement with said stop member.

10. ln a vending machine, a chute, a shaft having a finger projected into said chute, a

Weight arm fixed on said shaft, an adjustable stop forsaid Weight arm, a stop mem ber fixed on said shaft, and a lever adapted for engagement With said stop member, for the purpose set forth.

11. Ina vending machine, an inclined platform, a shaft projected over said platform and having fingers fixed thereon and depending toward the platform, means on said shaft for tensioning said fingers toward a set position, a cam disk fixed on the shaft, and a bell crank having one arm adapted for operative engagement with said cam.

l2. In a vending machine, a chute, a plufor tensioning said stop fingers toward set4 position, stop members fixed dn said shafts, means for holding the stop member on ne of the shafts, means for holding the stop member on the second shaft., and a trip on the first shaft for releasing the holding means on the second shaft Whensaid first shaft is rocked by its tensioning means.

13. In a vending machine, an inclined platform adapted forl holding packages parallel spaced shafts extending over said platform, each of said shafts having stop ngers thereon, means on said shafts for tensioning said fingers toward set positions, and means for retaining packages in spaced relation on said inclined platform.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. MELCHERT.

Witnesses:

MYRTLE M. JACKSON, ARTHUR W. CAPS. 

